Political Scene: The U.S., China, and Cyber Security

Next week, President Obama will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping to discuss, among other things, cyber warfare. That makes the timing of the revelation this week of a confidential Pentagon report that alleges U.S. weapons systems may have been compromised by Chinese hackers—a charge China denies—particularly fortuitous for providing a good preview of what’s to come in the relationship between the two countries.

On this week’s Political Scene podcast, Evan Osnos says the relationship is one based on “strategic distrust.” But, he continues, “There is a feeling on both the Chinese and the American sides that this moment is an opportunity to try to change the trajectory of this relationship.” Osnos, James Surowiecki, and John Seabrook join host Dorothy Wickenden to survey the roles that hacking and cyber security play in what Osnos calls the “steady growth of colliding interests”—in national-security, political, and economic realms—of both countries.